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Tania de Jong is Australia's leading celebrity and keynote speaker. She is a lady of creativity. She has created many new businesses. Her thinking capability is beyond imagination. She is a writer too, she has written many blogs to spread information to the world. Loneliness is the global epidemic of our times is her one of the many blog posts. Visit her site to know more about her https://www.taniadejong.com

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www.taniadejong.com
Loneliness Is The Global Epidemic Of Our
Times
All the lonely people where do they all come from
All the lonely people where do they all belong
The life and death of Eleanor Rigby in the bleak Beatles song reminds us that loneliness kills.
Recent studies conclude loneliness and social isolation are the next big public health issue on
par with obesity domestic violence and substance abuse.
At some stage of our lives loneliness affects almost all of us. For many it is a core factor in
mental and physical health problems and economic disadvantage. A 2012 study showed that in
2001-09 almost one in three Australians experienced loneliness. The study concluded
loneliness is an increasing trend and emerging factors from social media use to single person
dwellings feed this trend.
Overseas research concluded in 2010 that lacking social connections is as damaging to our
health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day and that loneliness is potentially twice as bad for older
people’s health as obesity and almost as great a cause of death as poverty.

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www.taniadejong.com
On top of this UK studies have found loneliness to be an even greater concern among young
people than the elderly.
As well as being health and life threatening for individuals loneliness particularly harms our
communities when people feel they have little importance or value in other people’s lives.
Having an ageing population when many older people outlive their partners loved ones and
friends we should aim to reduce social isolation before it is too late.
Whether we like it or not we are all part of the global epidemic of our times -– loneliness.
We are social animals. However social media and technology have made it easier to avoid
forming substantive real-life relationships. As a community we are more impatient stressed
anxious and depressed as we race from one thing to the next. Some people can live out their
lives not stirring from their bedroom if they have a laptop computer and a mobile phone.
As a community we are more impatient stressed anxious and depressed as we race from one
thing to the next. This lifestyle disproportionately confronts people from cultural minority
groups and those facing disadvantage including asylum seekers migrants people with
disabilities and serious illnesses those facing discrimination racism unemployment and
isolation. It has created a significant divide that we need to bridge.
It is no wonder people are struggling to fit in and the problem’s not going away. Exponential
technological acceleration and globalisation is unleashing a wave of economic and social change
on an unprecedented scale.
Australian and international research suggests between 40 and 60 percent of current middle-
class jobs won’t exist in 10 years’ time due to robotics artificial intelligence and other new
technologies. That’s a lot of people potentially disconnected from society and vulnerable to
loneliness and isolation.
While many people will gain from such transformational change there is a real risk that more
people in our society will become even more socially isolated because their jobs become
redundant or they can’t keep up with the pace of change.
This is a key reason why Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s innovation mantra has so far failed
to engage us. There is an all too pervasive sense it is becoming harder to find your place in the
world or get ahead.
Compounding this despite various attempts by governments and community organisations the
dominant Australian and global social welfare and engagement groups group and supports
people from similar backgrounds or disadvantage.

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www.taniadejong.com
Although this provides for focused attention and is comfortable for participants it also puts
individuals in silos reinforces segregation entrenches labels creates a dependency mentality
and ultimately traps individuals within their existing network. Once so trapped it’s hard to
break out.
This top-down social welfare approach has been unsuccessful to date. Given the continued
increase of disadvantage Australia’s welfare is currently reported at being more than 150
billion per annum up from 119 billion last year and more than one in four families received a
government handout we need to find a better model for supporting and in fact ending
disadvantage and isolation especially in our advanced country.
Emerging evidence and research shows that complex social issues can only be tackled
successfully at a local level with whole-of-community involvement. And prevention and early
intervention are the key. If we want to create cohesive and inclusive communities where every
voice matters then we all need to share in finding the sustainable solutions to our social
challenges.
Together we need to find some ‘uber-innovative’ approaches and policy initiatives to redesign
our social welfare ecosystem and start solving these social problems now. All of us need to be
part of building tolerant harmonious inclusive resilient and supportive neighbourhoods and
communities that bring people together through their common interests not differences.
Whatever happened to being nice to each other and all of us keeping an eye out for our
neighbours
Loneliness is far more than a social misfortune. It is a significant problem that leads to a vast
amount of human suffering and unfulfilled human potential. We are all part of the solution.
We don’t want to become a nation of Eleanor Rigbys. We should look to the positive message
of another Beatles song: we all can benefit from ‘A Little Help From My Friends’.
Tania de Jong AM is a leading Australian soprano inspirational speaker social entrepreneur
spiritual journey woman and creative innovation catalyst. She founded Creative Creativity
Australia Music Theatre Australia Pot-Pourri and The Song Room and works with diverse
communities through the ‘With One Voice’ choir social inclusion programs. Tania sings around
the world as a soloist and with her group Pot-Pourri releasing 7 CDs. She is Founder and
Executive Producer of Creative Innovation Global. Tania’s TED Talk How Singing Together
Changes The Brain has sparked international interest. Tania has just released her solo
CD Heaven on Earth.

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www.taniadejong.com
Tania helps organizations build capabilities in creative thinking and leadership develop a
culture of innovation and entrepreneurship understand and manage disruption foster
diversity and community and unleash potential of individuals and teams.
Tania speaks and performs around the world and presents leadership and innovation
workshops inspiring diverse audiences of 10 to 10000 people ranging from corporate executive
teams boards and entire organizations to universities hospitals schools business and
entrepreneurship forums and at major national and international conferences and public
events.
For more detailed information on Tania’s presentation topics or to book her for your next
conference or special event please contact us.
Information Presented by :-
Tania De Jong AM
Level 1 10 Dorcas Street
South Melbourne Victoria 3205 AUSTRALIA
+61 03 8679 6000
Email: infocreativeuniverse.com.au
Web: www.creativeuniverse.com.au